It seems Minnesota has a big problem with police organizations that act like racists and then try to cover up that racist behavior. Last night CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez, who is of black and Latino descent, and his crew were arrested by Minnesota State Patrol officers while doing their jobs documenting the unrest in Minneapolis. They've since been released and an apology was issued, not by the police, but by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.
Here's the State Patrol's explainer, written as if video hadn't yet been invented and as if you're a dumbass for believing your own eyes:
In the course of clearing the streets and restoring order at Lake Street and Snelling Avenue, four people were arrested by State Patrol troopers, including three members of a CNN crew. The three were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media.— MN State Patrol (@MnDPS_MSP) May 29, 2020
So, let's go to the videotape:
Minnesota police arrest CNN reporter and camera crew as they report from protests in Minneapolis https://t.co/oZdqBti776 pic.twitter.com/3QbeTjD5ed— CNN (@CNN) May 29, 2020
It must be noted that another CNN crew filming in the area, led by white reporter Josh Campbell, was treated "very differently" than the one led by Jimenez.
there are two cnn reporters in minneapolis. see if you can guess which one just got arrested. pic.twitter.com/JAsmNT1GDx— Oliver Willis (@owillis) May 29, 2020
Reactions:
This is not abstract: a black reporter was arrested while doing his job this morning, while the white police officer who killed George Floyd remains free. I am glad swift action was taken, but this, to me, says everything.— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 29, 2020
Omar Jimenez identified himself as a journalist with CNN to you folks while reporting live. Who are you kidding?— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) May 29, 2020
This actually isn’t true.— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) May 29, 2020
THE. CAMERAS. WERE. ON.— Eliza Orlins (@elizaorlins) May 29, 2020
Omar Jimenez identified himself as a reporter. His credentials were clearly visible— The Hardy Report Podcast (@EdwardTHardy) May 29, 2020
We all saw it because he was arrested live on air
Minnesota State Police are lying about what happened
That’s not what happened. This is a lie. We all saw it. This spin is erroneous and disingenuous. You do your organization a disservice by even trying this nonsense. Stop tweeting and learn how to do your jobs properly. Start with reading the constitution.— Ava DuVernay (@ava) May 29, 2020
Since there's been some confusion on this point the past couple of days, this is what restricting someone's First Amendment expression actually looks like. https://t.co/YjSOk75MUl— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) May 29, 2020
Good work not kneeling on their necks until they died, I guess— BoringButVeryNastyHat (@Popehat) May 29, 2020
Is Minnesota just recruiting its cops from the Klan and the Boogaloo Bois?
